What kind of hope can actually sustain racial justice work over decades—not just months? In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer is joined by anthropologist and author Dr. Christine Jeske to talk about her new book, Racial Justice for the Long Haul: How White Christian Advocates Persevere and Why.

Christine explains how anthropological research actually works—long interviews, deep listening, and time spent in “ordinary” spaces—and how she used it to study white Christians commended by leaders of color as faithful, long-term advocates. From there, the conversation dives into:

• Delusional vs. resilient hope – why optimism that avoids suffering inevitably collapses, and how Christians can cultivate a cruciform hope forged in hardship.

• Incremental change without complacency – how to celebrate small wins without pretending the deeper injustices are solved.

• Privilege as undeserved gifts – not just a slogan, but a way of naming what we’ve received and how grace calls us to respond, not just feel guilty.

• Habitus and formation – how our environments, narratives, and “moving walkways” of culture quietly shape us toward either withdrawal or engagement.

• Perseverance in practice – from Sisyphus and his “muscles” to Beverly Daniel Tatum’s moving walkway, to concrete next steps for listeners who feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin.

If you’re a Christian who feels the weight of racial injustice but wrestles with burnout, defensiveness, or simply not knowing what to do next, this conversation offers a theologically rich, practical vision for persevering in hope—without denial, without despair, and with your eyes fixed on Christ.

You can purchase Racial Justice for the Long Haul at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)

You can also read more from Christine Jeske at christinejeske.com.

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To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

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As technology offers us endless ways to be “present” without actually being there, what does it mean for Christians to imitate the incarnation of Christ? In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer explores the often-overlooked ethical and theological dimensions of the incarnation—not just that “the Word became flesh,” but how Jesus chose to be with us and for us.

Using The Matrix as a modern parable, James contrasts Christ’s self-giving descent with Cypher’s decision to abandon reality and his friends for the comfort of illusion—what James calls “dis-incarnation.” From there, he turns to Philippians 2 to show how Jesus refused to use equality with God for His own advantage, instead embodying a way of life marked by presence, sacrifice, and service.

James then examines how dominant ideas like liberalism and transhumanism can subtly train us to embody the world in self-determined, self-serving ways, even when they seem to promise freedom or enhancement. He argues that true Christian embodiment isn’t about maximizing personal options or overcoming our biology through technology, but about conforming our lives to the incarnate Christ—using our gifts, bodies, and opportunities not for our own advantage, but for the good of others. This episode will help you rethink Christmas, technology, and your everyday presence in light of the One who became flesh for us.

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Every two years, Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research release The State of Theology—a massive survey that reveals what Americans (including evangelicals) actually believe about God, the Bible, Jesus, and culture. The 2025 report is out, and some of the numbers are… surprising.

In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer is joined by longtime friend and theologian Dr. Ashish Varmafor a wide-ranging conversation about what the data shows—and what it doesn’t show—about the theological landscape among evangelicals today. Rather than panicking over headline-grabbing statistics, James and Ashish analyze the deeper trends beneath the numbers.

Together they explore:

• Why young evangelicals differ sharply from older generations on questions like the Bible’s literal truth and whether science conflicts with Scripture.

• Why nearly all evangelicals still say the Bible is their highest authority, even when their answers elsewhere seem to contradict that claim.

• How access to information, cultural context, and community shape belief—for better or worse.

• The surprising power of church attendance and affiliation in reinforcing core doctrines (and where that influence seems to break down).

• Why political theology may be quietly distorting how Christians answer moral questions—especially younger believers.

• Which troubling survey results actually matter—and which ones may simply reflect fuzzy categories or ambiguous wording.

• How churches should respond: not with panic or doctrinal hammering, but with thoughtful discipleship, richer community life, and deeper formation.

James and Ashish also dive into the complexities of interpreting theological surveys at all—how beliefs are shaped by cultural habitus, how people understand (or misunderstand) terms like myth, literal, or love, and why surveys often reveal more about our formation than our formal theology.

If you’re curious about what evangelicals really believe—and what the church can do about it—this episode offers a hopeful, nuanced, and deeply thoughtful guide through the data.

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To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

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In a season filled with noise, outrage, and “cancel culture,” is there still room for real joy? In this Christmas episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer invites you to slow down, listen, and remember. He begins with a personal memory of reading the Christmas story in church as a teenager, then simply does the same for you—reading Luke 2 so you can hear the story of Jesus’s birth without distraction.

After the reading, James reflects on Mary, the shepherds, and the wonder of that first Christmas night, drawing out how God’s timing, kindness, and presence bring deep reassurance in uncertain times. Joined by co-host Richard Beaty, the conversation widens to consider Advent, joy in a culture obsessed with negativity, and why imitating Christ—not chasing trends or grievances—is the path to lasting joy.

Together they explore: how to find joy in the “mundane” moments of everyday life, why our highs and lows feel so extreme at the holidays, how our desires are shaped by what (and whom) we imitate, and why moving from Christmas into the book of Acts helps us live as witnesses in this in-between age. If you’re weary, restless, or just need to hear the Christmas story read over you and be reminded that joy still has the last word, this episode is for you.

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To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

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James welcomes Dylan (founder of Varsity Skateboarding & leader of Skate Church KC) and co-host Nate to unpack how skateparks have become mission fields. They cover why skating is exploding post-Olympics, what makes a skatepark a “safe space,” and a practical model—teach, equip, empower—that moves kids from pizza and push-offs to Scripture, mentorship, and local church life. Expect candid stories (Dylan’s own faith journey from party life to pastoring), Gen Z/Gen A trends (digital overload, the surprising return to paper Bibles), and how a growing Skate Church Network is multiplying city to city.

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At Christmas, Christians often quote Isaiah 7:14—“the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son”—but few pause to ask what that verse meant for King Ahaz before it pointed to Christ. In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer walks through the political and spiritual crisis facing Judah, the rising Assyrian threat, and Ahaz’s refusal to ask God for a sign.

James unpacks why God answered with something that seemed wildly inadequate in the face of war: a child. He explores how this sign functioned as both judgment and hope, how the language of “young woman” and “virgin” works in Hebrew and Greek, and why Matthew is not ripping Isaiah 7:14 out of context when he applies it to Jesus.

Along the way, you’ll see how prophetic patterns ripple across Scripture, how our expectations of power clash with God’s humble ways, and how the virgin birth reveals a Savior who comes not with military might, but with a presence that judges and delivers. Perfect for thoughtful Christians wanting to go deeper this Christmas.

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To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

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In this episode of Thinking Christian, I sit down with Dr. Tanita Maddox—National Director of Generational Impact for Young Life and author of What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God. Drawing from years of research and on-the-ground ministry, Tanita helps untangle the unique worldview of Gen Z and why many of our “classic” Christian explanations fall flat with today’s young people.

We explore how Gen Z understands concepts like truth, goodness, safety, and identity, and why shared vocabulary often hides radically different assumptions. Tanita explains how Gen Z’s hyper-personalized world shapes their beliefs, why many of their deepest questions begin with, “Is God good?”, and how shifting cultural definitions of safety and justice impact their view of the gospel.

Together, we talk through:

• Why Gen Z sees truth as potentially harmful rather than stabilizing

• How to share the gospel with a generation that starts their theology with experience

• Why Gen Z is deeply communal—often more than previous generations

• How to reframe sin, freedom, and human dignity in ways that make sense to them

• Why listening—real, patient, non-defensive listening—is the most powerful apologetic tool we have

• Practical steps for parents, pastors, and mentors who want to meaningfully engage the next generation

If you have Gen Z kids, work with youth, teach in a church, or simply want to understand the cultural moment shaping the next generation, this conversation offers insight, clarity, and a hopeful path forward.

You can purchase What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)

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🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com

To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

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In this episode of the Thinking Christian podcast, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Daniel (Danny) Zacharias and Dr. Christopher Hoklotubbe, co-authors of Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: An Invitation to North American Indigenous Interpretation. Together they explore how Indigenous perspectives can help Christians read Scripture more faithfully on this land we often call North America—but which many Indigenous peoples know as “Turtle Island.”

Danny and Chris explain the story of Turtle Island and why naming the land this way matters for Christian theology, discipleship, and biblical interpretation. They introduce “Turtle Island hermeneutics,” a way of reading the Bible that takes land, place, people, and history seriously—built on asset-based theology and the conviction that God was already present and active among Indigenous peoples long before European missionaries arrived.

The conversation dives into:

• What “Turtle Island hermeneutics” is and how the medicine wheel shapes their approach

• Why it’s theologically flawed to act as if God was absent from North America before colonization

• How Indigenous creation stories and traditions can sit alongside Scripture without replacing it

• Reading Naboth’s vineyard as a lens on land theft, treaties, and the Doctrine of Discovery

• Parallels between the Trail of Tears, Babylonian exile, and Psalm 137

• Babylon and boarding schools: how forced assimilation tried to erase Indigenous identity and memory

• How songs, stories, and ceremony preserve hope, faith, and cultural resilience

• Why discipleship must focus not only on doctrine, but on practices, place, and how we actually live

This episode is for pastors, Bible teachers, seminary students, and everyday Christians who want to understand Indigenous theology, Native North American perspectives, and contextual Bible interpretation without abandoning a high view of Scripture.

Reading the Bible on Turtle Island is published by IVP; check the show notes for a discount link and more information about NAITS, Acadia Divinity College, and the work Danny and Chris are doing to serve the church on Turtle Island.

You can purchase Reading the Bible on Turtle Island at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: www.usefultogod.com

To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

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If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation!

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